1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting, an electronic package such as a land grid array(LGA) chip with a circuit board such as a printed circuit board (PCB) and particularly to an LGA electrical connector with a load lever and a connector body. The invention relates to two other contemporaneously filed applications having the same title, the same applicant and the same assignee with the invention.
2. Description of Prior Art
Land grid array (LGA) electrical connectors are widely used in personal computer (PC) systems to electrically connect LGA chips with printed circuit boards (PCBs). A typical LGA electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a multiplicity of terminals received in the housing in a rectangular array, a metal load plate pivotally mounted to the housing, and a load lever attached to the housing. This kind of LGA electrical, connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,280,222 and 6,485,320.
FIG. 5 shows a conventional LGA connector 7. The connector 7 comprises an insulative housing 71 fixed on a PCB (not ""shown), an operational lever 73 engaged with the housing 71, and a metal clip 72 mounted to the housing 71. The housing 71 defines a plurality of passageways (not shown) receiving a plurality of terminals (not shown) therein, and comprises a curved projection 712 extending from a side portion (not labeled) thereof. The clip 72 comprises a hook portion 721 protruding from one end thereof. The lever 73 comprises a pair of axles 731 having a pressing portion 732 therebetween, and an operational arm 733 extending perpendicularly from an end of one of the axles 731. In use, the connector 7 is firstly oriented to be in an open state with the clip 72 perpendicular to the housing 71 and the pressing portion 732 of the lever 73 at a highest position. An LGA chip 74 is put into the housing 71. Then, the connector 7 is adjusted to be in a closed state, with: the clip 72 abutting the LGA chip 74; the pressing portion 732 of the lever 73 pressing the hook portion 721 of the clip 72; and the projection 712 of the housing 71 hooking the operational arm 733 of the lever 73 Thus, the LGA chip 74 is stably received in the connector 7, and accordingly is connected with the PCB.
During adjustment of the connector 7 from the open state to the closed state, an operator (not shown) must manually operate the operational arm 733 of the lever 73. A distance between the housing 71 and the PCB is a constant. When the operational arm 733 has reached a horizontal position in the closed state, so that a distance between operational arm 733 and the PCB is, a constant. This latter constant is so small that the operator frequently bumps or interferes with the PCB and/or the connector 7. In addition, there is no means to increase the distance between operational arm 733 and the PCB. Thus, during the operation of the operational arm 733, the operator""s hand is prone to be abraded or hurt.
A new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a load lever with a handle that helps prevent an operator""s hand from being abraded or hurt.
In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a connector body fixed on a PCB, a metal clip pivotally mounted to the connector body, and a load lever attached to the connector body. The connector body defines a plurality of passageways receiving a plurality of terminals therein. The load lever comprises an operational arm, a pair of pivot axles having a pressing portion therebetween and extending from one end of the operational arm, and an operational portion. The operational portion comprises a bending portion bending upwardly from an opposite end of the Operational arm, and a handle extending upwardly and angularly relative to the operational arm from a distal end of the bending portion. When the connector is in a closed state, a distance between the handle and the circuit substrate is greater than a distance between the operational arm and the circuit substrate. This configuration helps prevent an operator""s hand from being abraded or hurt.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: